CHATRANJ KE KHILARI (THE CHESS PLAYERS)

India, 1977, 129 minutes, Colour.
Sanjeev Kumar, Saeed Jaffri, Richard Attenborough, Amjad Khan.
Directed by Satyajit Ray.

The Chess Players is an impressive political satire on 19th century India. It is the work of Satyajit Ray, the doyen of Indian film-makers. He made his impact during the 1950s with his Abu trilogy, continued to make fine and acclaimed films during the 1960s. During the 1970s he moved to bigger-budget films and the use of colour including The Middleman, Distant Thunder, The Elephant God. He continued his work right through until his death in the early 1990s.

Ray’s films are the opposite of Bollywood entertainments. They are beautifully crafted, show an intelligence and an appreciation of history and values.

This film focuses on Lucknow in 1856, just before the Indian mutiny. The king of the province is a poet and is oblivious to what is going on around him. Two of his friends play chess incessantly, ignoring all the political realities and the danger of war and uprising. Into this situation comes the British general, played by Richard Attenborough, who is to persuade the king to allow his kingdom to be annexed. There are complications with the British East India Company (which was to lose control of India after the mutiny) and the preparations for the consolidation of India as part of the British Empire.

The film looks beautiful, recreates its period – but is continually alerting audiences to the lack of vision in the Indian politics, the ignoring of realities as well as the brutal ambitions of the British and empire.

1.A film of India? About India? Entertaining? With insight?

2.Satyajit Ray’s film career, the contribution of this film? The visuals? Lucknow in 1856? Locations and atmosphere? Costumes and décor? The beauty of India? Royalty, nobles, the people? Ordinary way of life, cockfights? The military? The insertion of songs and dances? Animation? Ray’s own score?

3.The focus on the chess players, the two men and their continually playing? Their obsession with the game? The game as a symbol of ignoring reality? Using one’s wits but ignoring where the wits ought to be activated? The battle and theory? Ingenuity? The playing of the game and passion? The game versus reality? The players and their experience of the British taking over, Lucknow? The history of India at that period? From the perspective of contemporary India?

4.The situation in the 1850s? Animation, Dalhousie? The kingdom? Wealth and style? The king and his poetry? The crown and the exhibition? The British and empire? The British and their non-comprehension of the realities of India? Diplomacy, formalities, the military? Ordinary people? The upper classes, their lifestyle, domestic regimes, games? Hindus and Muslims, prayer? In the situation of rebellions and mutinies?

5.The characters of the two players, the opening of the film? Their friendship? Their attitudes of leisure? The games, smoking the hookah? Food? Their ignoring of their wives? The wives and their behaviour, stealing, throwing tantrums, having affairs, making up stories? The houses, their ignoring their duties of hospitality? The visit by the dying lawyer and his set? Their having to move? Continually playing, using vegetables as the chess pieces? Moving to other places? Missing the takeover? Angers and rivalries? The shooting, the humiliation, the reconciliation? Gentle Indians? A symbol of what was happening at the time?

6.The picture of the king, his history, his relationship with his mother? His obsession with dance, poetry, beauty, prayer? The officials and the rumours of what was happening? His council and the meetings? The visit of General Outram? The exercise of diplomacy, the ceremonies, bearing everything with dignity? The crown, the transition? His mother’s audience?

7.The picture of General Outram? His role representing the British? His presence, his comments on the king, unfavourable? His assessment of the situation? Scot and obtuse? Checking with the officer? His observation of the customs, prayer? Honour and the treaties? Issues of mismanagement? Pretexts, strategy? The king’s mother and her audience? The mockery and formalities? The kiss, the crown – and ultimate success?

8.The boy and the Muslim background, the temple? Food, seeing the British? Helping, talking? The new generation?

9.The glimpses of the townspeople, characters, way of life, the experience of the king, of the British?

10.The military takeover, the presentation of the British military, its discipline, formalities? The ambitions of empire? The experience of war?

11.An Indian reflection on Indian history – its shortcomings, its sufferings?